Florida Man Pleads Guilty in Online Sexual Exploitation of Baltimore County Boys

A Florida man accused of using an online children’s game to meet and sexually exploit twin boys in Baltimore County pleaded guilty Tuesday to four counts of sex offenses.

Ross Bauman, 19, of the Tampa Bay area of Florida, entered guilty pleas to two counts of sexual solicitation of a minor and two counts of production of child pornography.

The Baltimore County State’s Attorney’s office is seeking a sentence of 20 years in prison. Sentencing is set for August 17.

Investigators said Bauman contacted an eight-year-old boy in January 2025 through the online game Geometry Dash on the child’s iPad. Geometry Dash is a popular rhythm-based game. It is generally recommended for players ages seven to nine.

Eventually, Bauman and the child moved their conversations off the gaming platform to private email. Police said he repeatedly asked the second-grader to create sexual photos and videos to send to him. Bauman also convinced the boy to involve his brother in the videos, police said. 

The child often did not understand the terms Bauman used to describe sex acts. According to a statement read in court Tuesday, the boy told Bauman in one message, “No more weird things.” In another message, he responded to a request from Bauman by saying, “I don’t want to do that. It’s gross.”

The messaging continued for more than a month, according to investigators. In March, the boys’ parents discovered some of the images and messages on the iPad and notified police.

The Department of Homeland Security assisted Baltimore County‘s Crimes Against Children unit in its investigation in Florida. A search warrant was executed on Bauman’s home on the 10700 block of Captain Hook Circle in Thonotosassa, Fla. home in June 2025. 

A forensic analysis of the iPad, Bauman's phone, and online accounts uncovered more than 500 emails between Bauman and the boys, police said.

Investigators said he later admitted to experiencing sexual gratification while viewing the images and said it “made him feel sick afterwards.”

Bauman told investigators he wasn't sure why he sought out the boy, but he "believed it may have been due to him being the victim of abuse when he was a child,” Assistant State’s Attorney John Magee said.

Bauman denied ever physically abusing a child in person.

A Baltimore County grand jury indicted Bauman in September on 23 counts related to child pornography and sexual solicitation of minors. Most of those charges will be dropped as part of the plea agreement. 

Bauman has been jailed at the Baltimore County Detention Center since his extradition from Florida Sept. 29, 2025.

State guidelines for Bauman’s charges recommend a sentence between two and 12 years in prison. 

Magee told Baltimore County Circuit Court Judge James Rhodes the state is recommending a sentence of 40 years with all but 20 years of prison time suspended, five years supervised sexual offender probation, and a requirement that Bauman register as a sex offender. 

Defense attorney Justin Brown will be allowed to argue for a shorter sentenced for his client.

Bauman will remain jailed while he awaits sentencing.